analysis of hydatid cyst surgeries in Tehran Milad Hospital, Iran, during 2001-2004

Hydatidosis is a zoonotic disease which is due to infectivity with larval stage of dog tapeworm,"Echinococcus granulosus". The disease is chronic and cysts can be lodged in different organs of the intermediate hosts. It has cosmopolitan distribution and impact health and economical challenges for the many countries throughout the world. In Iran, human cases are constantly reported from different medical centers, Therefore, accurate information on the distribution of the disease is first step for the control and prevention. In this descriptive study, demographic information [sex, age, occupation] about patients who underwent hydatid cyst surgeries during 2001-2004 in Tehran Milad Hospital were collected and analyzed. Among 78 patients who had hydatid cyst operations in Milad hospital, 56.5% were female and 43.5% male. Liver was the most commonly invovled organ. According to the result of this study, females were found more infected with hydatid cysts than males

Study of giardia infection in cats

Giardiasis caused by the intestinal flagellate Giardia duodenalis. It is postulated that animals may be a reservoir for human infection and vice versa, thus, giardiasis classified as a zooanthroponotic disease. Therefore, accurate information about the Giardia infection in animals can help the control and prevention of disease in human. With respect to considerable population of cats in Iran and close relation to human, in the current study we tried to determine the infection rate of Giardia in stray, semi-stray and domestic cats. One hundred eighty one cat fecal specimens were collected and after formol-ether concentration, Giardia cysts were detected using light microscope. Twenty one samples [11.6%] out of 166 samples were Giardia cyst positive. The highest levels of infection with Giardia were in domestic cats [75%]. The findings prominence the necessity for cat owners to have knowledge about zoonotic transmission of Giardia